Week 2: You Asked For It
We are in week two of this series where you suggest topics for me to write about. I ,actually, got multiple requests on this particular topic that I am about to share. Feel free, to keep suggesting topics. "Love The Sinner, Hate The Sin" For as long as I have been around, I have heard the saying, "love the sinner, hate the sin." I am a sinner myself, my sin is no better than anyone else's sin. I am forgiven. God knew that we would be sinners, but He calls us to love others anyways. I love everyone, even in their sin, because I am a sinner too. The Grass Is Greener On The Other Side You probably have a family member/relative, friend, classmate, or co-worker that lives in a life of sin and doesn't know Jesus. Maybe they don't know Jesus. Maybe they don't know that they can live a life of redemption and the grass is greener on the other side. Maybe they don't know that their sins were washed away when our Savior was nailed to the cross with his arms stretched out wide, saying, "I love you this much." You get to be the one that tells them. You get to be the one that leads them in a different direction and, ultimately, change the course of that person's life. Or maybe you are reading this now, and you aren't a Christian. I hope you change your mind after reading this and studying the Bible a little bit. I am not perfect. No one is, but we can ask the Lord to forgive us. You can live a life of redemption. We can realize, "hey, I'm doing something Jesus wouldn't like", and ask for forgiveness. You can get out of the trap of sin. Here is what scripture says: “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 “I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.” Psalm 9:1 NIV Judgmental Christians? Christians, sometimes I feel, get a bad reputation. My friend is really struggling right now. She is trying to convert a non-believer to a believer, but the non-believer thinks Christians are judgmental and are hypocrites. My friend is trying to broaden and expand this non-believer's view of Christianity. Not all Christians are the same. As Christians, we are supposed to love and encourage other sinners. Our job isn't to judge. That's God's job. Some simply might not go to church because they don't have what they believe to be, "the appropriate church clothes." Not all churches have a dress code. Mine doesn't. We welcome EVERYONE. Some might not attend church because they are afraid they will be judged on past mistakes. However, I do not care about your sin, and no one else should either. That is between you and God. I have sins of my own, that I need to take care of. That's between God and me. Some might not attend, because they are afraid of what others might think. However, there is a saying that goes, "sweep under your own doorstep, before you try to sweep someone else's." Here is what scripture says: ““Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Matthew 7:1 NIV “When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”” John 8:7 NIV Our God is a Forgiving God I'm here to tell you today that, it does NOT matter how bad your past is, God still loves you and He is a redeemer. He forgives and forgets. He loved you before you were a sinner, He loved you while you were a sinner, and He will love you when you are a sinner. If you are sincere with your intentions to know God, and want to take that next step towards Jesus, He wants to take that next step towards you as well. He doesn't care about your past, He is looking at your future. Doing life with God is 110% better, than doing life alone. Right now, if you are reading this and thinking, "That girl doesn't know my sin. She doesn't know what I did. She has no clue how bad I've messed up", please understand that our God is a forgiving God. He forgets our transgressions as far as the east is to the west, when we ask for forgiveness. So come to the Lord broken. He will renew you. He will restore you. Here is what scripture says: "The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;” Daniel 9:9 NIV Get Out Of Sin Leave that life of sin behind, and join God. Leave your past in the past. Turn away from your sins. Cleanse yourself of all things evil, and you will be made new again. You will be renewed. Here is what scripture says: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV Love The Sinner Just like God tells us to love one another, He also tells us to not associate with evil. We can love the sinner and preach the gospel to them all day, but I would not advise keeping company with sinners that don't know God and that don't ask for forgiveness for their sins. Bad company ruins good morals! This is what scripture tells us: 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” I truly hope you all know how loved and blessed you are. Please know, you don't have to live your life trapped in sin. You are free. I hope you have a wonderful week.
2 Comments
Linda
4/29/2017 10:46:46 am
So good! Great word, Ali!
Reply
Ali b
4/29/2017 11:02:14 am
Thanks, love you!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
October 2017
Categories |